The following relates generally to the food processing arts, the meat processing arts, the radiographic imaging arts, the food safety arts, and the like. It finds particular application in conjunction within the meat and poultry processing industries, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be understood that it also finds application in other usage scenarios and is not necessarily limited to the aforementioned application.
In the food processing industry, particularly in the processing of meats and poultry, quality control involves the detection of any contaminants. Of particular concern is the presence of bones or other hard tissues, as well as foreign bodies such as glass, plastic, wood and metal, that impact the quality of a food product, as well as cause consumption safety concerns.
With respect to poultry and meats, processing of the respective animals, particularly the sawing and boning processing, can result in the presence of bone fragments. These fragments may not only decrease the value of the meat or poultry product, but also create a risk of harm through the consumption of the product by the consumer.
Various techniques currently available for detecting the presence of bone or other contaminants in meat products require laboratory testing of samples, which while suitable for detecting fat content, fail to analyze the entire product. Attempts to utilize radiographic techniques have met with limited success. The problems arise because while the entire product can be analyzed, attenuation of X-rays emitted in radiographic techniques require all other variables involved to be carefully controlled, e.g. product thickness, product fat content, density, etc. Furthermore, the detection of bone fragments, particularly those of poultry, is difficult to make due to the small size of such fragments and the density of poultry bones as opposed to non-avian species. In particular, use of radiographic techniques in young bird processing presents a unique challenge, as the bones in such young birds have not calcified to a point where the density of the bone is substantially different than the surrounding meat. For example, in the processing of poultry products, companies such as Baiada Poultry Pty. Ltd., of New South Wales, Australia, have long recognized this issue. Baiada Poultry Pty. Ltd. And Dr. Anthony Pavic have been leaders in seeking a solution to the detection of bones or other hard tissues and foreign bodies in poultry, including support and funding of development which has led, in part, to the present application.
There is therefore a need for a system and method that increases the probability of detecting unwanted debris in products.